Test Your Knowledge - Answers

CTIA and its members have developed a short “true and false” quiz for you to test your knowledge on how to help kids become responsible wireless consumers.

Q: Cyberbullying only affects kids in the online world and does not have any impact in reality.
A: False. While adults have separated “cyber” bullying from face-to-face bullying, kids increasingly view their offline and online worlds as one. For today’s kids, it’s not “cyber” bullying, but bullying. Either way, bullying is never acceptable and unfortunately, we know that bullying can spread more quickly with today’s online technologies. In extreme cases, it may have legal and/or psychological consequences for the victim and bully. It’s important parents talk to their kids to help them handle bullying. Learn more.

Q: The average age of kids when they receive their first mobile devices is 12.
A: True. According to a recent survey, kids are 12.1 when they receive their first mobile devices. This is approximately 6th or 7th grade.

Q: Most kids don’t think their parents should be allowed to set rules on their mobile device usage.
A: False. According to a recent survey, 90 percent of adolescents, ages 8 to 17, believe it’s OK for parents to set rules on how they use their cellphones.

Q: More than one quarter of teens (ages 14 to 16) have sent a nude or sexual photo of themselves electronically.
A: True. According to a recent survey, 28 percent of teens said they sent a nude or sexual photo of themselves electronically.

Q: If a kid under the age 18 sends a sexual image of himself/herself to someone who is an adult (i.e., 18 or older), as long as the exchange is consensual, it is legal.
A: Depends. Some jurisdictions have made it illegal for an adult to possess or transmit a sexual image of anyone under the age of 18, regardless of whether it was consensual. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has a list on which states have passed or are considering sexting legislation.

Q: Once parents and kids develop family rules, there’s no need to review or revise it.
A: False. What is appropriate for an 11 year old may be different when the kid is 12. As the kids and wireless technology evolve, it’s important the family rules are reviewed to make sure they make sense.

Q: If I read the privacy policy from my kids’ wireless provider (i.e., carrier), then I don’t need to read the privacy policies for devices, applications or content providers.
A: False. Parents and kids can learn a lot about how a service, device or app works simply by reading a privacy policy BEFORE visiting, downloading or using a device, application or website. In many cases, applications (e.g., social networks, games, etc.) may have their own privacy settings that are different from the preinstalled settings in a device so it’s important to read ALL privacy policies. Learn more about your kids’ privacy.

Q: College admissions officers may be reviewing prospective college applicants’ social networking profiles.
A: True. According to a recent survey, 24 percent of college admission officers have reviewed an applicant’s social networking profiles to learn more about him/her.

Q: On average, girls send/receive more text messages than boys.
A: True. According to a recent survey, girls send an average of 100 text messages a day, while their male counterparts send only 50.

Q: The majority of teens, ages 12 to 17, who use social media sites, have witnessed mean or cruel behavior on these sites.
A: True. According to a recent survey, 12 percent of teens say it happens frequently.